boats and birds
by dotRHEA
Summary: - little Elie did something she wasn't supposed to do. Small story with short chapters. Joint project.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Boats and Birds

**Author's Note: **This story is a joint project to cure my writer's block. It will have short chapters but will update randomly—sometimes two to three chapters a day. It's written in a much different style than I'm used to because I am trying to make it so that it reads like an innocent ten year old.

Warning. The original PJO characters don't appear until around chapter 5-ish.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own PJATO.

**X**

In my Nana's cottage by the seam there was a garden. Nana, Mr. Tompkins and I used to have afternoon tea in her garden.

In my Nana's cottage by the sea there was a stony path hidden behind the rose bush. Nana used to tell me never to go behind there; she told me that the path led to where all the bad people were.

In my Nana's cottage by the sea, was where I spent the first nine summers of my life. Together with Nana and Mr. Tompkins.

The summers with them were light and happy—filled with ice-cream and loose fitting dresses. I loved those days—when Mr. Tompkins used to drive me to the beach and play, when nana used to tuck me in at night, when we all played tag under the hot summer sun.

I don't see Nana anymore. I don't live with Mr. Tompkins either. Instead, ever since the day Mr. Tompkins came into my room in his penguin suit looking like he just dropped his Popsicle; I haven't been to Nana's cottage by the sea since.

**X**

I live with a man, a woman and a very tall boy now. They want me to call them 'family'; 'mom', 'dad' and 'older brother' even though I never seen them in my life. They're really nice to me especially 'mom' and 'dad' but the very tall boy doesn't want anything to do with me.

I don't like them.

Sometimes they talk very loud, and I get scared. I don't understand what's happening so when the man and woman start to yell, I go into the very tall boy's room. At first he gets mad at me and tells me to leave but when he hears the man throwing something, he calls me a brat and throws me into the bed while he sleeps on his couch. His bed is comfy.

**X**

**End Note: **That was supposed to be two different chapters but I ruled it as too short so I combined them. The first few chapters will be about the girl 'Elie' so yeah…


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Boats and Birds

**Author's Note: **This story is a joint project to cure my writer's block. It will have short chapters but will update randomly—sometimes two to three chapters a day. It's written in a much different style than I'm used to because I am trying to make it so that it reads like an innocent ten year old.

Warning. The original PJO characters don't appear until around chapter 5-ish.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own PJATO.

**X**

Today is my 10th birthday and the man and woman are taking me somewhere. The tall boy said that he's staying at a friend's house so he lets me have the back of the man's car to myself.

"Just this once." So he says.

I stretch tiredly as I hear the remnants of a happy meal crumble under me. My naked foot brushes on the cold surface of the car window as the woman tells me that we're almost there.

When I ask where, they ignore me.

So I fall back asleep, accidentally bumping my head on the handle of the car door behind me.

**X**

The sound of the car honking wakes me up, I jolt up and nearly blind myself as my eyes meet a bright light, and I fall back and hit myself on the head against the car door.

The woman giggles as I look back up.

I hold back a smile as I see Mr. Tompkins walk out of Nana's cottage in his penguin suit with Nana's apron on. He looks confused at first but he hugs me back when I fly out the man's car.

**X**

**End Note: **That was supposed to be two different chapters but I ruled it as too short so I combined them. The first few chapters will be about the girl 'Elie' so yeah…


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Boats and Birds

**Author's Note: **This story is a joint project to cure my writer's block. It will have short chapters but will update randomly—sometimes two to three chapters a day. It's written in a much different style than I'm used to because I am trying to make it so that it reads like an innocent ten year old.

Warning. The original PJO characters don't appear until around chapter 5-ish.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own PJATO.

**X**

Nana's garden is lifeless now. But I don't tell Mr. Tompkins that. He's watering the tulips now, with a gentle look on his face. He doesn't know he's giving them too much water.

Nana's garden is sad. I don't enjoy playing by her sunflowers like I used to. All the flowers look like they're crying, ducking their heads down low. I ask Mr. Tompkins where Nana is and why she isn't drinking Earl Grey at the gazebo like always but he replies with Nana's visiting friends.

I know Mr. Tompkins is lying but I still don't say anything.

**X**

**End Note: **I'm killing you slowly with these short chapters no?


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Boats and Birds

**Author's Note: **This story is a joint project to cure my writer's block. It will have short chapters but will update randomly—sometimes two to three chapters a day. It's written in a much different style than I'm used to because I am trying to make it so that it reads like an innocent ten year old.

Warning. The original PJO characters don't appear until around chapter 5-ish.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own PJATO.

**X**

Mr. Tompkins' out shopping is what Hilda tells me as she dresses me in my old summer dress. The one with the pink lace and red ribbon. My favorite one.

I never seen Hilda before but she's pretty and Mr. Tompkins is very kind to her. So I decide to ask her where Nana is.

She repeats what Mr. Tompkins has already told me.

**X**

**End Note: **Nico appears in the next chapter. I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Boats and Birds

**Author's Note: **This story is a joint project to cure my writer's block. It will have short chapters but will update randomly—sometimes two to three chapters a day. It's written in a much different style than I'm used to because I am trying to make it so that it reads like an innocent ten year old.

Warning. The original PJO characters don't appear until around chapter 5-ish.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own PJATO.

**X**

Later when Hilda is busy working, I slip out to the garden and into the rose bush.

Nana's warnings repeat in my head and even though Mr., Tompkins would surely stop me, Hilda doesn't know of the stony path behind the rose bush.

With a loud cry, I push past the roses and fall down onto the cold stony path. My knees hurt and I hold back a sob as I look at the damage I've done to the dress.

The fabric is all torn now, with pieces of thorns and leaves sticking out of it. Silently I take off one of my shoes and lay it on the ground behind me as I look at what's ahead of me.

It's scary, I thought, where the bad people live.

I take a step forward as I think of my Nana. Maybe the bad people took her!

Another step forward.

I have to save her!

A few more steps forward.

I have to save her before the bad people eat her like in the movies we used to watch!

Before I know it, I'm running. I'm running in my small dress and shoe that threatens to trip me any minute so without a second thought, I throw it off.

A lone pink sandal in the middle of a gray background…

I keep running and running holding on to the thought that the bad people kidnapped Nana.

I keep running until I see a bright light in a clearing. I smile and take off- thinking Nana is giving me a sign.

When I stop and look, it isn't Nana I see making a flower crown and asking me to join here.

Instead it's a sleeping boy lying against the trunk of a BIG tree.

I couldn't notice him at first—he blended in perfectly with the grey trees and stony ground. But when I do, I'm sad that it isn't Nana.

When I feel like crying, when I took a step forward unbeknownst (I still don't know what that word means, even after Mr. Tompkins explained it to me, it sounds kind of cool though) to me, I gasp because the boy has an angry look on his face—much like the tall boy when he loses a baseball game.

I look at him carefully and I gasp again.

The boy is hurt.

Ruby blood is gushing out from under his white shirt.

And I tell myself that I have to save this boy before the bad people come back and kill him.

**X**

**End Note: **Probably the longest chapter I will write for this story so yeah… Hoped you like it!

Review?


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